Rethinking leisure time use metrics: Greater diversity in shared sibling leisure is associated with higher relationship quality during emerging adulthood

Abstract

Leisure diversity—the total number of unique leisure categories shared within a sibling dyad—may vary according to sibling characteristics (e.g., sibling gender, age difference) and predict sibling relationship quality. Using triangulated lists, brief narratives, and focus groups, we constructed a taxonomy of shared sibling leisure in emerging adulthood and then calculated individual leisure diversity scores. The sample (N = 185) included college-attending emerging adults with an average age of 20.1 years (35.7% female). Taxonomic analysis suggested 19 categories of shared sibling leisure. Analyses of variance indicated differences by dyadic gender composition in endorsement rates of select leisure categories and average levels of leisure diversity (lowest for mixed-gender dyads). Greater shared leisure diversity was associated with higher levels of affective (sister–sister dyads) and cognitive relationship quality (sister–sister and mixed-gender dyads). The association of leisure diversity with sibling relationship quality was strongest for sister–sister dyads and not significant for brother–brother dyads. Sibling dyads that include a sister are more likely to be impacted by the level of shared leisure diversity. The results of this study introduce leisure diversity as a metric for quantifying sibling leisure and support its potential as a means for understanding and impacting sibling relationship quality in emerging adulthood.